The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-31
Our Cotton Put Upin Very Bad Shape
Interesting Report from a Com.
mercial Agent in Germany.
Tho Inferior Baling of American
Cotton Justly Criticised.
Egyptian Waste Is Actually Pub
Up with Greater Care.
European Insurance Companies Arc
Likely to Put Up Their Rates
on Account OF This Care-
lessness.

| Special Dispatch 10 tho Appeal.
! W ASHiNGroN, Dee. 80. An interesting
report has been received at the state de-
Parimen, irom Mr.. llawcs, the United
States commercial agent at Rcichcnberg,
Germany relative 10 the bad packing of
American cotton and is prejudicial effect
upon American trade in that article. Tho
report ia accompanied by photographs Of
different cotton bales arriving in the Reich
cnbcrg market and by samples Of the pack
ing in which they are shipped. The re-
port SAYS ut will bo noticed that while
the oriental cotton is in good condition tho
American balesprcscnt many rents through
which the cotton il escaping. These rents
ac no, due 10 sampling, as the department
has suggested, hut 10 the poor quality OF
sacking, defective hooking and lack Of snf-
iicicnt compression. Even Egyptian waste
is packed better than American cotton.
Cotton bales am handled by steyedorcs,
etc, by means OF large iron hooks by
which they nrc enabled To get u hold on
the hnlcs, Each time such n hook is used
on an American bale rcnt h mads
through which the loosely packed cotton
escapes, The haggingon American cotton
II toolonscly woven and lackingin strength.
The iurign bales arr much morr securely
houpcd and occupy much less space.
Tho evidence produced at the inNestigi-
ton into the burning oi the steamer City
oi Montreal last summer hy the liycrpool
board OF trade was 10 the effect that
American cotton IL packed in harping Of
the worst quality. which is easily torn.
This hngging is ~ loosely woven that tho
cotton ran he seen through IL. The ends
oi the bales ntc often not covered M all, or
only partially ~, ~ that the option es-
capcs The bands are 40 hady riNeteI
that they often yet loosc aud spring of,
aud consequently the bales arr often pct
ON hOanl IN this condition. They ara
very liable 10 take iirr should sparks come
ia contact with them, and In the case oi q
loosely parked bale the fire spreads with
tlic rlpidi,y oi gunpow,lcr.
"1hc American bales ignite from ten in
twenty times ~ easily as iowign bales, al
though the American cotton IL much
cleaner Aspark falling on a tightly com.
pressed aud rivuicd hale will b. cxtin-.
gui-hcd Without rausing aiiW. Atprsent
the European ihsuuuC" companies insufe
American cotton 1T the same rates "a tho
oriental article, hut b Is not at all unlikely
that ia consideration oi the action u
the American companies, they may raise
their utc. One pl uur greatest cunmndi-
ties would thus have an additional burden
to carry, which can easily hr ayoidcd. An
cotton arriving IN his market from Amof-
lea, np matter lum what section. prCsnta
the same appearance. The same system a
packing SEEN, 10 prevail through all tho
southern States
The aycmgr Hzrs nnd weights IT tho
different Kind ol cotton bales received hero
an n- follows American, GSX22NJO inches,
i0p p0und.. Indian. ipx2lNlG inches, 4O0
pounds. Egyptian, 5lN2.iN.i2 inches, 5m
pounds, The iuuign bales Wc Luuni by
lrom ion Ia eighteen hoops, each strongly
uNcitcd."